Chapter 9, Pneumococcal Disease: 9-1 Chapter 9: Pneumococcal Disease

in the United States Type of Bacterial Infection # cases/ year Meningitis 3,000 Bloodstream infection 63,000 Pneumonia (hospitalized) 125,000 Ear Infections (AOM) 6,800,000 II. Background A pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) targeting 23 of the most common serotypes of S. pneumoniae has been available since the early 1980s. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that it be administered to persons 2 years of age who have Chapter 9, Pneumococcal Disease: 9-2 any of several underlying medical conditions and to all persons 65 years of age or older. Despite its availability and payment provided under Medicare, the vaccine is underutilized. In 1999 only 54.1% of persons 65 years of age had ever been vaccinated, with particularly low coverage among African-Americans and Hispanics. 7 There also has been very low PPV coverage among persons aged 18--64 years with medical conditions placing them at high risk for serious pneumococcal infection. 8 In Fe